title: Lipoprotein(a) and family history of cardiovascular disease in children with familial dyslipidemias.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate in children and adolescents with familial dyslipidemias the association between lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] level and family history of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and whether this association is independent of the disturbed lipid profile.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lp(a) level, lipid profile, and a 2-generation genealogic tree to detect cardiovascular events were evaluated in 231 patients with familial dyslipidemias. Lp(a) levels were stratified according to presence, age of occurrence, and number and type of cardiovascular events in the patient's kindreds.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lp(a) and other plasma lipid fractions did not differ between patients with and those without a family history of cardiovascular events. However, the percentage of patients with elevated Lp(a) level (≥85th percentile) was higher in those with a positive family history for early cardiovascular events (P = .01). Lp(a) level was a significant independent predictor of the number of premature cardiovascular events (β = 0.17; P = .01) and of cerebrovascular events in kindreds (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.05-6.03; P = .039), independent of plasma lipid fractions and other cardiovascular risk factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In children and adolescents with familial dyslipidemias, the overall association between Lp(a) level and family history of early CVD may be due to a threshold effect in those with the highest Lp(a) levels. However, multiple cardiovascular events and cerebrovascular events are predicted by any increase in plasma Lp(a) level, independent of other cardiovascular risk factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Torino, Italy. ornella.guardamagna@unito.it
authors.forename: Ornella
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Guardamagna
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Abello
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Anfossi
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pirro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D017270:Lipoprotein(a) / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D017270:Lipoprotein(a)